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By Andrew Bansal

Pasadena-based classic heavy metal band Gypsyhawk have been around since 2008. In their initial years they were playing shows around the LA area, but ever since their self-released debut full-length album “Patience And Perseverance” came out in 2010, they’ve made rapid progress as a band and when you compare their stature now to what it was back then, it would be an understatement to say that they’ve moved leaps and bounds. They’ve signed with Metal Blade Records, started touring and playing bigger shows, got on the lineup for the upcoming Mayhem Festival cruise, and many other such things happened for them. But the one thing I was most looking forward to from them was their Metal Blade debut record. “Revelry & Resilience” was released last month, and a few days back I finally got a chance to listen to it. Continue reading “Gypsyhawk – Revelry & Resilience [10 out of 10]”

By Andrew Bansal

Based out of Austin, Texas, Ancient VVisdom is an occult rock trio that was formed in 2009 when former Integrity members Nathan Opposition and his brother Michael Jochum joined Iron Age bassist Justin “Ribs” Mason. They released a split 12″ with Charles Manson titled “Inner Earth Inferno” in 2010, and followed it up with their full-length debut “A Godlike Inferno” in June 2011. This year, they signed with Prosthetic Records, and the label reissued the album. I first heard of Ancient VVisdom only when I saw the announcement for Ghost’s North American tour, with Ancient VVisdom as the opening act. Quite a few months after that, I finally got a chance to listen to the album. I must admit, because of my preconceived notion about ‘occult rock’ and perhaps also because of their tour with the likes of Ghost and Blood Ceremony, I went in with a certain expectation of what this band would sound like, but honestly, I was pleasantly surprised upon discovering that the music has more to it than what I had imagined. Continue reading “Ancient VVisdom – A Godlike Inferno [9.5 out of 10]”

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

After listening to Mumbai-based black metal band Solor Deity’s debut album “In The Name Of Satan”, I had a feeling this could be the start of something good, and I had hoped that there would be lots more to look forward to from this band. They proved me right by following up this debut album with a DSBM single called “Snowless”, which presented a different facet of the duo’s black metal prowess, and served as a good appetizer for the second studio-album. “The Darkness Of Being” was unleashed upon us last July, and for me it felt great to realize that Solar Deity is continuing the pattern of releasing good music, because after listening to it thoroughly, I have no doubt that its excellence surpasses that of the band’s previous efforts. Continue reading “Solar Deity – The Darkness Of Being [9.5 out of 10]”

By Andrew Bansal

After an eternally long wait, Testament’s new album “Dark Roots Of Earth” is finally ready for release, and hits North American stores on Tuesday July 31st. This is the tenth studio offering from the San Francisco Bay Area thrash legends, and comes as a follow-up to the highly acclaimed 2008 release “The Formation Of Damnation”. The new album has enjoyed a great buildup in the past few months, and very few metal albums in recent times have been as eagerly awaited as this one. Now the time is upon us to decide whether or not the album turned out to be worthy of the anticipation, and we can safely say, it has. Continue reading “Testament – Dark Roots Of Earth [9.5 out of 10]”

By Avinash Mittur

In 1987, an album like “Appetite for Destruction” was the last thing anyone expected a heavy rock band to release. MTV and the airwaves were littered with hair metal, and bands like Metallica and Slayer were taking the underground by storm. Guns N’ Roses, a bluesy, gritty, meat and potatoes rock outfit, was definitely not a band that the music world could have been prepared for. The popular bands of the time put all their efforts towards a hit single. The less mainstream acts wanted to push the envelope of what was possible in heavy music. Guns N’ Roses did none of that. Released on July 21st 1987, “Appetite for Destruction” was a dark, simple and honest record in a time when jolly excess was celebrated and encouraged. More than that though, “Appetite for Destruction” is one of those rare perfect albums. There isn’t a flaw to be found with this record; every one of its fifty-four minutes is stellar, and many of them are the greatest in rock history. Continue reading “Retrospective: Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite for Destruction” Turns 25″

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

Judging from the music we’ve been treated to so far in 2012, I think it’s turning out to be a great year for traditional heavy metal. We’ve already seen some killer releases from the likes of Dawnbringer, Angel Witch and 3 Inches Of Blood, and now it’s time to welcome yet another new album in this genre. Canadian quintet Striker will release their sophomore effort “Armed To The Teeth” on July 27th via Napalm Records. It’s a follow-up to their hard-hitting 2010 debut full-length “Eyes In The Night”, and while it was a more than decent debut effort, I think the new album takes the band to the next level and ensures that they’re moving in the right direction. Continue reading “Striker – Armed To The Teeth [8 out of 10]”